No One Ever Said It Would Be Easy

Goods, people, capital and services are moving more freely, but so are jobs as Europe's attempt to form a more perfect union runs into trouble

In the town of Irun, on the Spanish-French frontier, Jan. 1 marked the end of Juan Manuel Retegui's career. Until then, 1,500 trucks a day would pass through the border's vast customs complex, with its long rows of loading bays and warehouses. Retegui and his 1,275 fellow agents, inspectors and clerks thrived on the red tape generated by $1 billion worth of trade a year. "Lines of trucks would stretch up the road," said Retegui. "Shops and bars were packed with people."

But on New Year's Day -- poof! The European Community's single market took effect, freeing the movement of goods...

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